December: Club Manager s Checklist Enroll any new 4-H members or leaders. Discuss County and District Food Show. Distribute 4-H Opportunity Scholarship Applications to eligible senior members and announce any District/County Scholarship training opportunities Discuss upcoming County Livestock Show Recognize participants/winners in recent County and District events County Council Delegate give report from meeting Plan and implement Community Service Projects After Meeting Turn in attendance sheets & reports. Turn in any new member or leaders enrollment forms. Club Manager Minute (stuff for you) Ever wonder what the rest of the world is doing while we are complaining about holiday mall traffic and the inevitable sweater we will get for Christmas from the aunt we only see at Christmas? Not everyone celebrates Christmas in the same way. People from other cultures and/or religions may not celebrate Christmas at all. Expand your horizons see what s going on around the world while grandpa is sipping egg nog and your kids are shaking every present under the tree. http://www.santas.net/aroundtheworld.htm http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/list_of_winter_festivals One For Fun If keeping up with your own life is trying, how about creating another one... Virtually! It s worth the time if for nothing else to see someone else struggle with reality! http://simcity.ea.com/play/simcity_classic.php Page 1
December: Recreation Fact or Fiction Materials Needed : None Time : 15-20 minutes Set up : None, this works best in small groups (large group divided into small will work) Instructions : Instruct the group member to take turns sharing two facts and one fiction about themselves. The rest of the group is to guess what is and is not true. Give the group about two minutes to think of their facts and fiction. Then start by sharing with the other participants. They have to guess what is fact and what is fiction. Reflection : What interesting facts they learned about others. How is fact sometimes stranger than fiction? *modification can be to give thumbs up for true and thumbs down for lie. Page 2
December: Community Service Adopt a Family Have the officers talk to a community service agency about families that are in need. The officer select a family for the Club to adopt for the Christmas season. Whether it be coats, clothes, food, electric bill, decorate the house...they make the decision. At the December meeting, the club brings, or does what is needed for the family. Page 3
December: Flag Ceremony Twas the Night Before Christmas for a Soldier Twas the night before Christmas, he lived all alone, In a one bedroom house made of plaster & stone. I had come down the chimney with presents to give And to see just who in this home did live. I looked all about a strange sight I did see, No tinsel, no presents, not even a tree. No stocking by the fire, just boots filled with sand, On the wall hung pictures of far distant lands. With medals and badges, awards all of kind A sober thought came through my mind. For this house was different, so dark and dreary, I knew I had found the home of a soldier, once I could see clearly. I heard stories about them, I had to see more So I walked down the hall and pushed open the door. And there he lay sleeping silent alone, Curled up on the floor in him one bedroom home. His face so gentle, his room in such disorder, Not how I pictured a United States soldier. Was this the hero of whom I d just read? Curled up in his poncho, a floor for his bed? His head was clean shaven, his weathered face tan, I soon understood this was more than a man. For I realized the families that I saw that night Owed their lives to these men who were willing to fight. Soon round the world, the children would play, And grownups would celebrate on a bright Christmas day. They all enjoyed freedom each month of the year, Because of soldiers like this one lying here. I couldn t help wonder how many lay alone On a cold Christmas Eve in a land far from home. Just the very thought brought a tear to my eye, I dropped to my knees and started to cry. The soldier awakened and I heard a rough voice, Santa don t cry, this life is my choice; I fight for freedom, I don t ask for more, my life is my God, my country, my Corps. With that he rolled over and drifted off into sleep, I couldn t control it, I continued to weep. I watched him for hours, so silent and still, I noticed he shivered from the cold night s chill. Page 4
December: Flag Ceremony So I took off my jacket, the one made of red, And I covered this Soldier from his toes to his head. And I put on his T-shirt of gray and black, With an eagle and an Army patch embroidered on back. And although it barely fit me, I began to swell with pride, And for a shining moment, I was United States Army deep inside. I didn t want to leave him on that cold dark night, This guardian of honor so willing to fight. Then the soldier rolled over, whispered with a voice so clean and pure, Carry on Santa, it s Christmas Day, all is secure. One look at my watch, and I knew he was right, Merry Christmas my friend, and to all a good night! - Major Bruce W. Lovely Page 5
December: Ice Breaker Group Scavenger Hunt Have audience break into 3-4 groups. Leader calls out different items or activities for the groups to produce. The first group (the entire group does not have to go) to come up to the front with the item gets a point. Group with the most points at end wins. Suggested items and activities: Green (or another color) shoelace - to be removed from the shoe Pen with a chewed cap Penny or any coin with a certain date Paper clip Stamp Family picture Guy wearing red lipstick 2 people with their shoelaces tied together Gum in the wrapper - MC thanks the person and then eats the gum Key chain with at least 8 keys Past 4-H Meeting Agenda Bookmark Store receipt Page 6
December: Inspiration and More Perspectives One day a father and his rich family took his young son on a trip to the country with the firm purpose to show him how poor people can be. They spent a day and a night in the farm of a very poor family. When they got back from their trip the father asked his son, How was the trip? Very good, Dad! Did you see how poor people can be? the father asked. Yeah! And what did you learn? The son answered, I saw that we have a dog at home, and they have four. We have a pool that reaches to the middle of the garden, they have a creek that has no end. We have imported lamps in the garden, they have the stars. Our patio reaches to the front yard, they have a whole horizon. When the little boy was finishing, his father was speechless. His son added, Thanks, Dad, for showing me how poor we are! Isn t it true that it all depends on the way you look at things? If you have love, friends, family, health, good humor and a positive attitude toward life, you ve got everything! You can t buy any of these things. You can have all the material possessions you can imagine, provisions for the future, etc., but if you are poor of spirit, you have nothing! Page 7
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